


How Heavy Do I Journey On The Way (1/2)

by Briski



Category: No Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-04
Updated: 2011-08-04
Packaged: 2017-10-25 20:17:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/274356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Briski/pseuds/Briski
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Luke and Noah meet as sophomores in high school. They help one another discover themselves, and Luke helps Noah escape a violent father.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is by far the longest thing I have ever written. I am proud of myself for finishing. I had no Beta, so all mistakes are my own. Thank you to all my Twitter friends for being my constant cheerleaders. I love you all. Thanks to [](http://ritalaura2000.livejournal.com/profile)[**ritalaura2000**](http://ritalaura2000.livejournal.com/) for making my awesome art :)

Noah hated being the new kid on base. He hated not knowing his way around. He hated being new in school, and teachers making him stand in front of the class. It made him nervous. The moves stressed the Colonel out, which stressed Noah out. He knew anything he did could set his father off. Noah didn't want to start school with a black eye.

That had only ever happened once. Noah was 12. He had been late coming home from a friend's house and had not called. After several minutes of yelling and shaming, Winston shoved his son. Noah then tripped and hit his face on the side of the dining room table. It wasn't what Winston had intended. He never left visible marks. Noah had run to his room, and thrown himself onto his bed. He muffled his cries against his pillow, not wanting his father to hear him. He'd explained away the blacks and blues with a story of tripping over his tennis shoes.

Now Noah was 15, and he was coming into a new school in the middle of his sophomore year. This was something new, though. He was going to be attending Oakdale Public High School. Noah had never gone to public school before. His new home, Fort Hollings, didn't have enough kids to constitute a private school, so Winston had grudgingly agreed to send his son to public school.

Noah wore a simple dark blue hoodie, and pair of jeans for his first day. He'd learned that no matter what the fashion sense of a new school consisted of, jeans and a hoodie could not be made fun of. It was cold outside, and he rubbed his hands together as he stepped off of the bus that transported him from the base. His breath ghosted in front of him. The campus was larger than Noah had expected for such a small town. He and his father had visited a few days earlier to get his schedule, and a tour.

His first class was English. He was fairly certain he remembered how to get there. Other students milled around the hallways, talking and making their way toward their classes. He'd never been around so many people his own age at once before. He liked it. He hiked his backpack up a bit on his shoulder, and eventually made his way to his class, sinking into a seat at the back of the room. It was only a week into the term, so he hadn't missed much of anything, as the first week was usually spent on the syllabus and introductions.

The classroom was old, but tidy. His desk was chipped at the corners. Someone named Ashley had carved that she loved a boy named Joey into the wood. Noah wondered how long ago that was, and if Ashley and Joey were still together somewhere.

“Noah Mayer?”

Hearing his name jerked Noah out of his thoughts. He hastily raised his hand, and mumbled that he was present. He took in his surroundings as a middle-aged, curly-haired woman, finished taking roll. The boys wore jeans, hoodies, and hats. They sipped on coffee and soda. They laughed, and hit one another, and pulled binders out of ratty backpacks. The girls were beautiful. They wore short skirts or tight jeans, and small t-shirts. ‘Weren’t they cold?’ he thought. He almost laughed to himself. Wrong thing to be thinking when seeing scantily dressed girls.

Class went by quickly. They were going to be studying _The Lord of The Flies_. Noah, of course, had already read it a hundred times over. He loved to read, and it was one of his favorites. He had DVDs of both versions of the movie. He preferred the black and white 1963 version, but the 1990 version still held some merit.

A girl sitting near him handed him his pencil when he dropped it, and she smiled at him, and whispered “Welcome to Oakdale,” as the teacher droned on.

Second period was math. Noah hated math, but he was pretty good at it. They took a quiz to test what they had retained from previous classes, and that took up most of the period. There were a few cute guys around here. None of them were quite Noah’s type, though; Not that he really knew what his type was.

He’d never had a boyfriend before. Never kissed a boy. Never held his hand. Never gone on a date and hugged him goodnight. Noah daydreamed about it often. The face of the boy in his fantasies was blurry. He didn’t have anyone in mind. He hoped he could meet someone. He wondered if there were even any gay kids at Oakdale High. It wasn’t a huge town, but there was bound to be one, right? Aside from himself? Because he was. He had finally come to admit that to himself. He was gay.

The bell ringing overhead signaled that it was time to leave. Noah’s third period was an elective. He’d chosen Shakespeare with Mrs. Ferguson. He’d never understood Shakespeare well, and really hoped to understand more. What he did know, he liked. The Bard wove magical stories featuring both thrilling action and all-consuming love.

Noah made his way through the hallways, and finally found room 207. Students poured into the room. They were all laughing, talking, and hugging. Noah was feeling very new. He dreaded what came after third period. Lunch. He would find some quiet place and eat alone. After a few weeks he would hopefully have a group he could sit with. He just hoped that he would be here long enough to make some friends. He didn’t want to move again. He needed a place to land.

Luke Snyder walked down the hall toward his third period class without really paying attention to what he was doing. His new cheerleader girlfriend hung onto his arm, wearing his letterman jacket. He loved playing basketball. It was an added bonus that it made him popular. Blond and bubbly Nicole didn’t care that he wasn’t very good, as long as she got to wear his jacket and talk about him to her friends.

They entered the classroom together. It had a large open space in the middle of the room, with theater style seating on three sides. He and Nicole found seats near the back. Nicole had chosen for them to take Shakespeare together, citing that it would be terribly romantic. Luke had agreed, not caring much about school anyway. He glanced around the room, as Nicole began to rapidly talk to two of her other blond friends. Max and Tyler were seated nearby. They were pretty nice guys. Luke had known them since elementary school. He continued to scan the room, hoping to maybe see his friend Kevin. He highly doubted Kevin could comprehend Shakespeare, but it was worth a chance. It would be nice to have his friend in class. Plus, Kevin was fun. He was funny. He was interesting. He was gorgeous. Luke inwardly kicked himself. No. No, he would not think about that.

Luke was suddenly stopped dead in his searching, when his eyes met the most brilliant blue he had ever seen. He quickly looked away. After a moment, he snuck a look back. The beautiful blue eyes belonged to an equally beautiful classmate. Luke had never seen him before. He had to be new. Everyone knew everyone around here. There was no way that he could have slipped under the radar. He was gorgeous. He had dark hair, and chiseled features. He kept his head down, and his body tucked in, as if for protection. He was scrawling slowly in a notebook. He was beautiful. Luke couldn’t help but stare. Yes, he was staring, and holy shit, beautiful blue eyes caught his again. He looked away with a snap of the head, and tried to will his thoughts away from thinking about how beautiful this boy was.

Noah liked to journal. He’d done it for years. He liked to keep a notebook, and just scribble down his feelings. He’d been minding his own business, writing about his day while he waited for class to start. Then he saw him. A shock of blond hair falling over deep brown eyes. He was a jock, arm draped around an annoying looking cheerleader wearing his letterman jacket. Noah looked away quickly when the boy caught his eye. He snuck a look again a moment later. This boy was gorgeous. The boy pushed a lock of blond hair off of his forehead, and Noah longed to be the one doing that. He ached to touch him. The boy met Noah’s eyes again. They stared at one another. Stared. Noah shivered as something passed between them. It was over in a moment. Blond Boy’s girlfriend was leaning over whispering something in his ear, and he was leaning in closer to her.

The only thing Noah learned in Shakespeare class that day was that Blond Boy’s name was Luke Snyder. He spent the rest of the class period trying to describe Luke in his notebook. He snuck looks at him every so often. Noah had never seen a boy so gorgeous.

Noah ate lunch alone in a deserted hallway, and spent the rest of the day hoping that Luke Snyder would be in another one of his classes. He was disappointed, though, to find out that he wasn’t. He would have to wait until tomorrow to see him again.

Luke kissed his girlfriend, Nicole, goodbye and made his way towards his truck. He leaned against the cool metal and waited for his sister, Faith, to meet him there. He couldn’t get his mind off of the new boy. Noah was his name. He was so tall and skinny. His eyes were so deep and blue. He seemed shy. It drove Luke crazy that he couldn’t stop thinking about him. He wasn’t…He wasn’t gay. He had a girlfriend. That counted for something, right? Why couldn’t he stop thinking about Noah?

“Earth to Luke.” He snapped his head up, and realized his younger sister was standing next to his truck staring at him. “What are you thinking about, Indy? I called you, like, 9 times.” Luke laughed softly at the nickname, left over from old childhood make believe games of _Indiana Jones_.

“Nothing, just spacing out.” He smiled, and walked to the passenger side of the old green truck, opening it for his sister. ‘Chivalry doesn’t have to be dead, Luke. Always be a gentleman.’ His Dad had taught him that, and he found that girls actually responded to it. The drive home was uneventful. So was the rest of the evening spent doing homework, and eating dinner. It wasn’t until he was at home, in bed with his laptop, that he thought of Noah again. Shivers went down his spine, and he tried not to think about very blue eyes as he fell asleep.

Noah walked home slowly. Base was only a 30 minute walk away, and he liked having the time to think. He knew his father wouldn’t be home until 5:45 pm. He was glad. He would have time to do homework, write, make sure the house was up to standards, and cook a meal by then. He really did like to cook. He had never had a mother around, so he had been cooking for himself most of his life. He ran through the day in his head. He liked this school. The students seemed friendly and relaxed. They all seemed like they had known one another since birth, and Noah wondered if maybe they really had. He would count himself lucky to have a friend he’d known for more than a year. His classes seemed interesting, and not too difficult, though he had a feeling he would hate Geometry.

Then there was Luke. Luke Snyder. Noah pictured him in his head and smiled. Shaggy blond hair, a slim build, and beautiful brown eyes that met his more than once. Noah felt something. He knew he did. There was a connection there. He was excited for school tomorrow.

***

English and Geometry were already starting to feel familiar to Noah. He walked through the small halls of Oakdale High to his 3rd period Shakespeare class. He was excited. He was anxious to see Luke again. He shoved his hands into the front pocket of his hoodie, and smiled at a girl from his English class who waved to him.

He found a seat in the theater style room, and tried to casually look around to spot Luke. He came in only a moment before the bell rang, and Noah smiled to himself. Luke was a much needed distraction from the nerves and loneliness that came from being the new kid. Today, he wore his letterman jacket over a blue and grey striped shirt. His jeans were a bit too loose for Noah’s liking. He couldn’t believe he was thinking about that. Was he really thinking about checking out Luke’s ass? Yes. Yes, he was. Proving Luke was perfect from head to toe, his feet were adorned with a simple pair of black Converse Chuck Taylors. Noah smiled, noticing that they were old and worn. They perfectly matched his own favorite pair of shoes.

Mrs. Ferguson called role, and launched into a discussion about a new project. She passed out paper outlining the project, which Noah scanned as she talked. As he read, he saw a word that made his stomach drop.

 _Partner._

Noah hated partner projects. He never knew anyone well enough for him to be their first choice. He always got stuck with someone who no one else wanted to be partners with, or whoever was absent that day. He glanced around the room as people began to quietly pair up, shooting each other looks, or giving a thumbs up. Luke’s girlfriend clung to him, and he smiled at her. Noah’s stomach clenched. They were the perfect couple. That was what his father would want for him. If only he had a letterman jacket, and brought home a girl like Nicole Jacobs, his father would be proud of him.

Mrs. Ferguson’s voice cut through his misery as she continued to explain about the project. She explained that they would choose a Shakespeare play, and design it in a whole new way. She gave examples of a hippie culture, a futuristic world, or a children’s show. The project was all about imagination. A buzz of conversation began amongst the students, several of them throwing out ideas that they had.

“Hold on, guys.” Mrs. Ferguson held up her hands. “I will be choosing your partners.” And audible groan sounded throughout the classroom. “And no complaining, or it’s an automatic B!”

Mrs. Ferguson began reading off the pairs she had selected to work together, and the further she got down the list without reading Luke or Noah’s name, the more hope grew in Noah’s chest. He knew he shouldn’t get his hopes up. What were the chances, after all, that he would be paired with Luke? Hopefully he would get someone nice at least.

“Noah Mayer…” Noah held his breath “…with Luke Snyder.” Noah was absolutely dumbfounded, and his heart soared in his chest. “Everyone please find your partner, and find a quiet spot to discuss which play you will be selecting. It will probably be best if you exchange phone numbers, as a lot of this work will need to be done outside of class. Now get to it.”

Noah stood slowly, and looked across the room to Luke, who waved at him. He slung his backpack over his shoulder, and made his way over to Luke.

“Hey, I’m Noah.” He stuck his hand out for a handshake. Luke took his hand, and shook it firmly. His skin was soft. Noah had to tear his hand away.

“Luke. Nice to meet you. You new?”

“Does it show that much?” They both laughed softly. Luke had a gorgeous laugh.

“No, I just haven’t seen you around. This town is so small, it would be impossible that I hadn’t noticed you.” There was a sparkle in his eye. He looked at Noah in a way that made Noah blush down to his toes. He tried not to let it show. “Hey, so, did you want to go somewhere and get started on this project?”

Luke’s heart thumped loudly in his chest as he and Noah found a quiet spot in the hallway near their classroom. They both sank to the ground, and opened their notebooks. He couldn’t believe he had had the lucky fortune of getting Noah as his partner. He liked Nicole, but he knew that if they had been made to be partners, she would have been clinging to him even more than she was now. Plus, this was a chance to get to know Noah better. He seemed shy. Luke found that adorable.

“So, did you have any ideas for which play you want to pick?” Luke took the lead in the conversation, as he often did. Noah was quiet, but looked thoughtful. His blue eyes were full of mystery to Luke. Luke, for one, always felt the need to fill any conversation with speech. “I don’t really care which one we do. Whatever you want is cool.”

“Um, well, I was thinking, maybe _As You Like It_ would be fun,” Noah said quietly. Luke had absolutely no knowledge of said play, and stared blankly for a moment. “I mean, if you want to. We don’t have to. We can do whatever you want to do.” Noah was rambling, and looked down, blushing slightly. Luke realized that his ignorance had been taken for dislike. He reached out and rested his hand on Noah’s arm.

“No, Noah. I just don’t know anything about it. Tell me.” Luke smiled a soft smile, and had to remind himself to remove his hand from Noah’s arm. He wasn’t thinking about how warm Noah felt, or the fact that Noah’s arms felt strong, despite how skinny he was. Nope. He wasn’t.

“Oh, well, I’ve only seen the movie, but it’s a love story. This girl, Rosalind, she has to leave and go into hiding. She dresses up as a boy to disguise herself. She ends up falling in love with a boy that she meets in the forest. He thinks she’s a man, though, since she’s disguised. It’s all pretty funny.” Noah smiled slightly.

“Do they end up together in the end?” Luke asked quietly. Noah nodded. He had such a gentle way about him. It drew Luke in like he couldn’t explain.

“Yeah,” Noah grinned. “They do.” Luke couldn’t stop himself from grinning too. He agreed that this sounded like a good play to do.

“Do you want to maybe come over tomorrow and we can watch the movie? Just to get ideas?” Luke asked. Noah. At his house. Yes. This sounded like an amazing plan.

Noah agreed, and they exchanged phone numbers, promising to meet after school the next day.

Noah hated the bell for ringing and interrupting his time with Luke. He had had an excuse to stare at him while they discussed their project, and he took full advantage. All that night he thought about Luke, and their study date tomorrow. He ate a silent, awkward dinner with his father, and daydreamed later while he was doing the dishes.

Maybe he would go to Luke’s house, and they would sit on the couch while they were watching the movie. They would be sitting close, so close that he would be able to feel the heat coming from Luke’s body. Maybe Luke’s hand would slip on top of his. Noah would look to him, and they would both smile, and scoot a little closer. Noah could smell his scent. It was toothpaste, and fresh air, and deodorant. Maybe Luke would lean in and kiss him gently. He would finally slide his fingers into Luke’s beautiful hair. He would-

“Noah. Son? What are you doing? Pay attention. You’ve had that water running for too long!” his father barked at him from the kitchen.

“Sorry, sir,” Noah replied. He sighed as he turned off the water. That night he dreamed of Luke Snyder.

***

  
Luke took extra care in getting ready the next morning. He fussed over his hair for a good deal longer than he usually did. It ended up looking like it always did, anyway. He snuck into his parents’ room, and found his Dad’s cologne. Holden Snyder was not much one for cologne, but even he wore it on special occasions.

His first couple of classes seemed to drag by as he waited for Shakespeare class to come. He found a sense of relief in discovering that Nicole was absent for the day. That was not how you were supposed to feel when your girlfriend wasn’t at school. You were supposed to be sad, and miss her. You were supposed to wish she was there, and text her to see how she was feeling. Instead he was thinking about Noah. He would see Noah in just a few short minutes. Then, after school, Noah would come to his house. How would he possibly concentrate on their project? How would he pretend he wasn’t staring?

He was excited to walk into Shakespeare, and waved to Noah when he entered the room. Noah smiled at him shyly, and waved. Luke was trying to make up his mind whether or not to sit with him when Tyler waved him over. “Hey Luke, come look at this video on Max’s cell phone! Dude that is sick!”

They had a substitute that day, so they watched a movie. _The Reduced Shakespeare Company’s: Abridged Works_ was funny, and a great way to get in to Shakespeare. Luke was disappointed, because it didn’t afford him any opportunity to talk to Noah. It did allow for several long glances, though, under the cloak of darkness. Luke took full advantage. Noah had amazing lips. He had beautiful eyelashes. Had he ever though that about someone before? He didn’t think so.

Noah could feel Luke watching him. He kind of liked it. He licked across his lips, making sure to do it slowly. He ran his fingers through his hair, bit his bottom lip. He’d never thought he was exactly ugly, but didn’t think he’d ever felt worthy of being stared at. He really liked when Luke stared at him. They caught eyes a few times, and Luke smiled. He couldn’t wait until school was over.

When class ended, Noah agreed to meet Luke by his truck after school. His last few classes seemed to drag on forever. Finally, the final bell rang. Suddenly, Noah was nervous and excited all at once. He wasn’t completely sure why.

Luke leaned against his truck waiting for Noah to meet him. Faith was chatting away idly about one thing or another, but he couldn’t seem to really concentrate on what she was saying. Soon Noah was in his line of view, and he let out a deep breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. “Noah,” he grinned, “this is my little sister, Faith.”

“Aren’t you in my math class?” Noah asked Faith quizzically.

“Yeah, you sit in the second row, right?” he asked, shaking her hand. She nodded as they piled into the truck. Luke climbed into the driver’s seat, and Noah slid in next to him, Faith on the other side.

“Now that we’ve established that you’re both better than me at math…”

The conversation flowed easily between the three of them as Luke navigated the twenty minute drive back to the farm. Faith and Noah seemed to get along very well, and Luke was more than happy to listen to them talk while he drove. He had other things to focus on, like driving, and thinking about Noah’s leg, which was pressed right up next to his. They were so close that he took in Noah’s scent with every breath.

Luke was always proud to show people his home. As he pulled into the driveway, he could see the awe on Noah’s face.

“Wow…it’s like, a real farm,” Noah said quietly. Luke laughed.

“Yeah, it is,” Luke grinned as he slid out of the truck, “complete with horses and chickens.”

Noah had never seen anything like it. Luke lived on a real, honest to goodness farm. The house looked huge. A large barn stood a several yards away. He followed Luke and Faith into the house. He liked Faith. She was cute, and sweet. She looked a lot like her brother. They both had a sparkle in their eyes. As they entered through the kitchen, Noah took a deep breath. Luke’s home smelled like baked goods and felt like a warm summer day. A young boy and girl flung themselves at Luke as he entered the room.

“Luke! Luke! You’re home! We drew you a picture!” The boy was around 4, and the girl appeared to be around 8. “Faith! Hi!” They greeted Faith as well. Luke introduced them to Noah as his younger brother and sister. A beautiful woman with long hair and a gorgeous smile turned to them.

“Hi Luke, Faith. How was school, guys?” She leaned in and hugged Faith, and Luke gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Who’s your friend, sweetheart?”

Noah stepped forward, shyly. “Noah Mayer, Ma’am. Nice to meet you.” Noah held out his hand, and she took it between her own.

“It is very nice to meet you Noah.” Her presence was warm and comforting. Noah felt a pang of jealousy for a moment. How he wished for a mother like Luke’s. How nice would it be to come home to a family every day after school. Someone would ask him how his day was. Someone would hug him, kiss his cheek, and tell him they loved him. Instead, he came home to a dark, cold, empty house. He cleaned, and cooked in silence. He waited to hear the slam of the truck door, which meant his father was home. He hoped that he had not missed a spot while cleaning the windows, or undercooked the chicken. Luke had no idea how lucky he was.

“Now, boys, I’m baking some cookies. They should be done in about 45 minutes. I’ll call you when they’re ready.” With that Luke motioned Noah to follow him up the stairs and to his bedroom.

Luke made his way towards his room, Noah following close behind.

“Sorry about all that,” he said laughing. “My family can be a bit much sometimes, but I love them.”

“No, they’re great,” Noah smiled as they entered Luke’s room. It was mostly clean, but the bed was unmade, and there were a few sweatshirts on the floor. Luke kicked them aside as he shrugged his letterman jacket off and tossed it on his bed. Noah didn’t think his room had ever been this out of order in his whole life. His father wouldn’t allow it.

“We can sit on the floor, if that’s okay,” Luke hauled a large bean bag out of a corner of his room, and set it so they could be facing the flatscreen that hung on his wall.

“Wow…” Noah looked at it in awe as he sat on the beanbag. “That’s yours? That’s awesome.”

“Yeah,” Luke grinned. “My Grandmother bought it for me for Christmas. She spoils me.” Noah watched as Luke leaned over to put the disc into the DVD player. And, no, he wasn’t staring at Luke’s butt, no he wasn’t. As soon as he got the movie playing, Luke flopped down next to Noah. There was enough room for both of them, but they were close enough that Noah could feel the heat of Luke’s body. He could smell him. He wished he were tasting him. The film began, and they began to watch. For some reason, Noah couldn’t stop stealing glances at Luke’s mouth. Luke kept licking his lips. God, why was he doing that? He knew what he was doing. He had to know what he was doing.

Luke knew what he was doing as he slowly ran the tip of his tongue across his lips. He could feel Noah watching him. This had to be something. Noah had to be interested, right? This couldn’t just be coincidence. All Luke knew, was that it was taking everything in him not to touch Noah right now. He scooted just a little closer, and now their legs were pressed against each other. Noah turned away from the movie to look at Luke, and Luke stared straight at him. “I…” Luke was about to speak, he had no idea what he was going to say, but he had to say something. The tension between them was so thick that if it were fog, you wouldn’t be able to see your hand in front of you. Suddenly, it was broken by the sound of Lily’s voice cutting through the room.

“Boys! Hey Luke, honey! The cookies are ready! Come get ‘em while they’re hot!”

Luke shot up quickly and brushed his hair back with his fingers, his breath shaky. “Um, I should…I mean, I’ll go get us some cookies. Okay?”

“Yeah. I’ll pause it. Great, go ahead,” Noah rambled as he saw Luke disappear out the door. He felt like such an idiot.

Now that Luke was gone, Noah took the opportunity to look around his room. Noah was nosy by nature. He loved nothing more than going through an old garage, or sifting through a box of mismatched photos. He stood, and stretched his arms above his head. The room was fairly plain. The walls were painted sky blue, and the carpet was a plush white. It felt soft beneath him. The shelves and desks were laden with an odd mix of childhood toys and high school interests. He noticed several notebooks spread out on the desks. He glanced at one that was open. The page was filled with Luke’s messy scrawl. Noah didn’t read it. He didn’t want to intrude that far. He really wasn’t going to read what Luke had written, but something caught his eye. His name was there.

His heart jumped in his chest. Luke had been writing about him. He couldn’t believe it. He couldn’t help but read now.

 _This new kid, Noah. His eyes are the bluest eyes I have ever seen. I can’t stop staring at him. I hate it. I hate myself for it. I like him though. I like his blue eyes._

Noah stopped himself. He felt awful for intruding. He couldn’t wipe the smile from his face, though. Now he knew. He knew Luke felt the same way. He knew Luke was hiding, just like he was. He turned to the bed, and Luke’s letterman jacket caught his eye. Luke looked really good in that jacket. Noah remembered seeing Luke’s girlfriend wearing the jacket a few days prior. He reached out and touched the leather of the sleeve. He looked at the jacket carefully. Luke had lettered in basketball. Noah’s mind drifted to what Luke would look like shirtless in a pickup game. When it came to Luke, his imagination ran wild. He picked up the jacket, and he could smell Luke’s scent on it. He suddenly found himself struck with the urge to try it on. Before he could stop himself he was slipping it on. It was warm, and heavy. He felt Luke all around him. He inhaled deeply for a moment. He was just sliding the jacket off when he heard a voice come from the doorway behind him.

“Noah? What are you-?”

“Oh my God, Luke! I am so sorry. I was just, uh, I was…” Think of an excuse, Think of any excuse his brain pleaded with him. His heart pounded so hard he was sure they could hear it in outer space. “I was trying it on to see what size I, uh…” He trailed off again. His cheeks were bright pink now, and fuck, why did he still have the jacket on? Luke was moving toward him now. Noah froze. Was he going to hit him? Tell him he was a freak? Tell him he hated him? Kick him out of his house? Luke reached up toward him, and Noah flinched away.

“Noah…” Luke spoke quietly. It was almost a whisper. He hand came to the collar of the jacket, fixing it where it was crooked. “It looks good on you. Really good.” Luke’s eyes were locked on his, and Noah felt like he couldn’t breathe. Luke’s hand slipped down the front of the jacket and stilled on Noah’s chest. Could he feel how fast Noah’s heart was beating?

“I…what? It does?” Noah felt like it was the dumbest thing he had ever said, but he had no idea what else to say. All he could think about was Luke’s hand on his chest right now.

“Yeah. Really good,” Luke repeated. Then Luke was leaning in very slowly, as if to give Noah time to stop him. Noah never would. Now Luke’s lips were pressing against his. It was an easy, soft, chaste kiss.

When they pulled away after a moment, Luke felt as though a bolt of electricity had shot through his veins. All he wanted to do was dive into Noah. Hold him, kiss him, taste him. He had made the first move, though. It was Noah’s turn now. His hand still laid over Noah’s chest, and he could feel how fast his heart was beating. Noah looked so sexy right now. He had always thought this tall, lanky, blue-eyed kid was cute, but not sexy. Now, though, now, Noah wore his coat. Luke’s coat. He never thought it would be so hot to see someone wearing his clothes. He imagined Noah in one of his tshirts, and he shivered. Then there were Noah’s lips. He couldn’t stop staring. Noah’s lips were perfect. Noah’s eyes bore into him, and Luke just stayed very still. This was Noah’s move.

Finally, Noah answered Luke’s prayers and captured his lips again. This kiss was more fervent than the last, and Noah’s hand came up to cup Luke’s cheek. His touch was feather-light, and soft. Luke pressed his body nearer to Noah’s, and kissed him with growing passion every second. His hand slid up into Noah’s dark hair. They kissed like they’d been made to do it; like they had been doing it for years. The newness, though, made Luke’s heart race in a pace to match Noah’s. Now Noah’s tongue was pressing for entrance into Luke’s mouth, and Luke allowed him in, sighing softly.

Noah thought that the sound that Luke made as he kissed him was the hottest thing he had ever heard in his life. He felt a jolt go straight to his crotch, and he lifted his free hand up to grip at the back of Luke’s neck. Their tongues met in what seemed like a dance. Nothing well-choreographed, just lazy and lovely. After several long minutes they finally came up for air. Noah blushed and bit his bottom lip, looking down a little. He suddenly felt shy and vulnerable. Luke’s hand kept moving softly through Noah’s hair. Noah loved the way that felt. The way Luke looked at him made him feel things he had never felt before. Luke made him feel…worthy.

“That was amazing,” Luke breathed softly. Noah nodded. He wasn’t sure if he could breathe quite yet.

“Yeah. Wow. I’ve never…I mean I always wanted to, you know, with a guy. I just…sorry I’m rambling.” Noah was adorable. Luke couldn’t help but smile, and kiss him lightly again.

“I never have either. I mean, you know, with a guy.” They both laughed softly, and Luke backed up a little, sitting down his bed. He took Noah’s hand, and pulled him along with him. He looked at Noah seriously, choosing his words carefully in is head before speaking them. When he finally put them to speech, he could barely believe what was coming from between his own lips.

“I think I’m gay, Noah.”

It was meant to be a moment of serious revelation, but Noah couldn’t help but to laugh softly. Luke cracked a smile as well.

“Yeah Luke,“ Noah leaned in and kissed him again. “I think you are, and so am I.”

The rest of the afternoon felt like a dream. They kissed, ate cookies, and spoke quietly until 6:00 when Noah had to go home. They shared hopes and dreams. Deep secrets, and dark thoughts. Luke couldn’t believe that he could feel so close and comfortable with someone he had just met. They left each other with the promise of meeting the next day.

As he lay down to bed that night, all Noah could think of was Luke. Touching him, kissing him. That soft hair, those perfect lips. He couldn’t believe that the day had been real. He couldn’t believe he would be seeing Luke again tomorrow. Luke was going to pick him up and show him around his property. Noah was excited to see the farm. Luke said they might even be able to ride horses. Noah was mostly excited to see Luke. He couldn’t wait to see him again.

He was just drifting off when his phone chimed the small sound that meant he had a text message. He rolled over, and fished for his phone on his bedside table. He opened the phone and clicked into the message.

 **From: Luke**

 **Message: Wish I was kissing you again right now. Can’t wait to see you tomorrow-Luke**

Noah smiled, and quickly keyed in a few characters.

 **From: Noah**

 **Message: Can’t wait to kiss you again. Tomorrow will be amazing-Noah**

With that image and hope in his mind, Noah set his phone back on his bedside table and drifted off to sleep.


	2. How Heavy Do I Journey On The Way (2/2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke and Noah meet as sophomores in high school. They help one another discover themselves, and Luke helps Noah escape a violent father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is by far the longest thing I have ever written. I am proud of myself for finishing. I had no Beta, so all mistakes are my own. Thank you to all my Twitter friends for being my constant cheerleaders. I love you all. Thanks to [](http://ritalaura2000.livejournal.com/profile)[**ritalaura2000**](http://ritalaura2000.livejournal.com/) for making my awesome art :)

It was a bright and sunny day when Luke awoke the next morning. It sounded corny, but it was the kind of day when sun streamed through your window and birds were chirping. He couldn’t wait to see Noah. His stomach turned with excitement and nerves. He’d never been able to admit to himself before that he was…was he? Gay. He should at least be able to think it. For God’s sake he was kissing another boy in this very room just yesterday. How would he tell his parents? His girlfriend, Nicole? The guys on the team? They would hate him. He knew how they talked about gay people. “Fag”, “sissy”, and “queer” were often-used insults in the locker room. Luke had used them himself. He was scared. He wondered if Noah was scared too.

Noah’s alarm woke him at 8 AM. He knew he would have to complete all of his chores before his father would let him go anywhere for the day. He smiled to himself to see the sun showing itself through his blinds. Today was going to be a good day. He got up, and made his way to the shower. He kept his shower short, and dressed and brushed his hair quickly. He made his bed, and made sure everything in his room was tidy. His father was sitting at the table with his coffee when Noah reached the kitchen.

“Good morning, sir,” Noah greeted him. “Can I make you breakfast?”

The Colonel did not even look up from his paper. “No thank you, son. I have a meeting in about an hour. I’ve left you a list of chores to attend to today. I assume your room is clean and ready for inspection?”

“Yes sir.” Noah spoke as he poured himself a glass of orange juice. He was far too excited to eat.

“Alright then,” Winston stood, and folded his paper neatly, as Noah looked over his chore list for the day. “I’ll be on my way soon, then. Have a good day, son. Get your chores done, and all of your homework.”

“Yes sir,” Noah spoke as he began to tackle the dishes. He scrubbed at an ugly yellow bowl as he glanced over his list. He could easily finish everything in an hour. As soon as his father left he would get his phone and call Luke. He couldn’t wait. Scrub, scrub, scrub. He imagined seeing Luke in the sunlight by the lake. There would be a light breeze off of the water. Maybe they would hold hands. Maybe they could bring a blanket and have a picnic in the grass. Luke would hold his hand and promise that everything would be okay. They would figure it out together.

“Who’s Luke?” The loud voice of Noah’s father wrenched him from his daydreams, and he dropped the glass he’d been washing to the floor. His heart raced a million miles an hour. He tried to stay casual.

“Oh my God. I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Dad. I’ll clean it up!” He quickly moved for the broom and dustpan nearby, but his father stilled him with a hand on his arm.

“Noah. Who is Luke?” His expression was serious. His eyes were dark. Noah was scared.

“He’s just a friend. From school. We’re working on a project together for Shakespeare Lit.” He attempted to move past his father again, toward the broom. The Colonel’s hand tightened around Noah’s arm.

“A friend? A friend, hm, Noah? Tell me then, about this.” Winston reached into his pocket with his free hand, and extracted Noah’s cell phone. Noah’s eyes went wide, and his mind raced with nonononono.

“Can’t wait to kiss you again?” he hissed. “Can’t wait to see you tomorrow? What the hell is this, Noah?” His voice was getting louder and louder. Noah wanted to be anywhere but here right now. His brain screamed at him to get away. “Noah Mayer! You answer me right now, boy!”

“It was a joke! A joke! Part of the project!” Noah knew his own voice sounded desperate.

“Don’t lie to me, Noah James!” Winston pushed him back hard against the counter. It dug into his back, causing him immense pain.

“Seriously, Dad! I promise! It was just a joke!”

“A joke? It doesn’t sound like a joke, Noah! Can’t wait to kiss you _again_? Did you kiss this, this, _boy_?” Anger and disappointment burned in Winston’s eyes as he loomed over his son. Noah could feel tears threatening to stream down his face. He had only seen his father look at him this way a handful of times in his life. It scared him shitless.

“Dad...it’s not what it seems like. I promise. Really. Luke is my friend!”

“Noah. Mayer. You answer me honestly right this moment, or you will not like the consequences.” Winston was no longer yelling. His voice was quiet, and level. Somehow, it was scarier this way. Noah felt helpless, and looked down, his voice coming out barely above a whisper.

“It was a mistake, sir.”

“So you’re meaning to tell me that my son is a faggot?”

“No! No! It was a mistake! Like I said! It was part of a proj-“ Winston cut his son off mid-sentence.”

“I will not have a queer in my house, Noah James. I’m giving you an hour to pack your things and leave this house. I’m disgusted with you.” He said it in a clean, even voice that shot right through Noah’s heart. Winston turned his back and began to walk away.

“Dad! I- Dad, please!” Noah reached out and grabbed for his father’s arm. Winston jerked his arm away, throwing his son off of him, and walking out the front door.

Noah’s head hit the edge of the oven, and then he hit the floor hard. The pieces from the dropped glass dug into his arms, causing him to bleed. He didn’t even move for a while. He couldn’t. He lay on the floor and cried. He cried like he hadn’t cried since he could remember. He felt blood running down his temple, and felt the sting of the glass in his arm. He didn’t even care. He cried for his father. He cried for himself. He cried for Luke.

After several long minutes he lifted himself from the floor. His head was pounding. He grabbed a paper towel and pressed it to his head, but it soaked through immediately. Fuck. He went upstairs to his room and calmly packed several pairs of clothes. He took his framed photo of his mother, a few notebooks and pens, his school things, and some toiletries. There were not many material things that Noah Mayer cared about. He could leave them behind.

He wished he had his cell phone. He wished he could call Luke. His father had taken his phone, and Noah didn’t have any phone numbers memorized. He slung his bag over his shoulder and grabbed a hand towel out of the linen closet on his way downstairs. He pressed it to his head. The blood was sticky, and starting to dry. That was a good sign at least. Noah felt a little woozy, but didn’t think that he had a concussion. Anyone in such a situation had a right to not feel at their best, right?

As he walked out his front door he thought about looking back, but didn’t. He decided it was better this way. The decision to walk to Luke’s house was not even a conscious one. It was like a fact. That was where he was going. Set in stone. No question. His feet carried him along. He barely noticed the intense burning in his arm, or how his head throbbed. He was numb. He didn’t want to think about what had happened. If he did, he would have to process the fact that he no longer had a home. He no longer had a home or a father.

As he approached the farm, he felt his heart soar in his chest at the thought of seeing Luke. He should feel bad about putting this kind of burden on Luke. He should feel awkward about looking so bad when coming to see him. He didn’t. Not right now. All he thought about was seeing Luke. That was all that was on his mind.

Luke spotted him first. He called out Noah’s name. Noah was still at the end of the long driveway. Noah could see him smile as he began to jog toward him. God he loved Luke’s smile. It made him feel warm inside. It made his heart beat just a little bit faster. As Luke got closer, his smile fell. He ran more quickly towards Noah.

“Noah! God! What happened to you?” Luke finally reached Noah, his face full of concern. “You’re bleeding!” Luke took Noah’s hand and began to lead him toward the house. Noah felt a weight lift off his shoulders. He somehow knew that Luke would take care of everything.

The house was quiet. It was a rare moment when the Snyder farm was quiet, but Luke was thankful for it now. He wanted to give Noah all the solitude and solace that he could right now. If his parents or siblings had been there he knew they would be all over Noah and that is not what Noah needed right now. Noah still hadn’t spoken a word. Luke wasn’t one for silences, but he figured that now might be a time where it was okay. He led Noah into the downstairs bathroom, and had him sit on the counter. Luke found a washcloth and wet it with warm water. He didn’t know much in the way of first aid, but he knew Noah’s injuries should be cleaned. Faith had just taken a first aid class last term. He could use her help. He shot her a quick text. He knew she was only down the street at a friend’s house.

 **From: Luke**

 **Message: Noah’s hurt. Need your help. Come home now.**

He ran the washcloth gently over Noah’s temple. The gash in his head didn’t appear to be very deep. He winced slightly as Luke cleaned his wounds. He still didn’t speak.

“Noah? Can you tell me what happened? Where do you hurt?” Luke looked deep into Noah’s eyes. They were huge. Luke knew how to deal with scared. He knew how to deal with hurt, or angry. This was much more difficult. Noah’s eyes were empty. “Can you talk to me, Noah?”

“My head hurts,” Noah finally spoke. “I have a headache.” His eyes were still blank. He didn’t move. He just stared straight ahead as Luke cleaned his wounds.

“What happened, Noah?” Luke pressed on, re-wetting the washcloth. “Who did this to you?” There was only silence for several moments before Noah finally spoke again.

“My father. It was my father, Luke.” It was then that Noah broke down in Luke’s arms, and sobbed as he had done on the floor of the kitchen in his house.

Noah felt like he had cried until he couldn’t possibly shed another tear. He felt worn through by the time Faith showed up and knocked on the bathroom door. “Come in,” Luke answered quietly. Faith’s face immediately crumbled when she saw Noah. After a moment, her lips pulled up into a slight smile. Noah could tell she was trying to put on a brave face for him. She really was quite sweet.

“Hey Noah,” she spoke softly, moving in next to Luke. “How are you feeling? Do you hurt a lot anywhere?” Her voice was calming, and gentle. It made him feel safe. Noah was attracted to women in a certain way; a familial way. He always enjoyed the lilt of their quiet speech.

“My head. It hurts a lot. I hit it.” Noah reached up to point out the wound on his head, as if it wasn’t glaringly obvious. “Also my arm. I cut it on some glass. It doesn’t hurt too terribly bad though. Mostly just stings. I don’t think there’s any glass stuck in it, though. I kind of checked while I was walking.”

Faith smiled at him in a gentle sort of way. She reminded Noah a lot of her mother; beautiful and kind.

“May I look?”

Noah nodded, and offered his arm toward her. She held it gently, and looked at the cuts on his arm, which Luke had already begun to clean. “Yeah, Noah, I don’t think I see any glass in there. Let’s finish getting you fixed up.”

Twenty minutes later, Noah’s cuts were bandaged, and antibiotic cream had been applied. All he wanted to do was take a nap, but Faith wouldn’t let him, fearing he might have a concussion. He, Faith and Luke now sat in Luke’s room deciding what to do next.

“I’m going to call Dad,” Luke said finally, picking up his phone. He and Noah were sitting on his bed. Luke was sitting up, leaning back against his headboard and Noah was leaning against him with his head on his shoulder. They suddenly felt very comfortable with one another. There was nothing like a traumatic situation to bring two people even closer together.

“You can’t, Luke,” Noah spoke desperately. “They’ll give me back to my Dad, or they’ll make me go to foster care or something. God, I don’t know which would be worse. I don’t want to go live with some strange family that I don’t know. God knows who I could get stuck with. You hear all kinds of stories.” He suddenly sat up straight, shaking his head. The tension that had melted from him while he was sitting near Luke was now evident in his features again. “I think I need to leave. I need to just get away somewhere. My Dad might try to come back for me. I can’t see him again, Luke. I can’t, and I won’t.” Noah was up now, and pacing around the room. He felt a sudden need to get as far as humanly possible from Oakdale and Winston Mayer.

“Where do you want to go? I mean, do you have any ideas?”

“Chicago,” Noah blurted out. Faith and Luke stared at him curiously. He’d always wanted to go to Chicago anyway. It was a big city, too. They could lay low there for a while and not be found. He had enough money saved for the bus ride and at least a night or two in a motel. If he stayed in Oakdale, his father would easily find him. If he stayed at Luke’s house, his parents would turn Noah over to the state for sure. Noah was not about to be passed around between foster families who wouldn’t want a fifteen year old anyway.

Luke mulled this around in his head. Chicago was far away. Over five hours by car. It might be good for Noah to have a little time away, though. He didn’t want Noah’s dad to come back. He sure as hell didn’t want Noah to be shipped off to some foster family. Noah was right. He knew some foster families could be good, but he sure had heard the horror stories.

“Okay,“ Luke agreed. “Chicago. We can take the bus. There’s a bus station not far away. My dad has the truck, though. Do you think you can walk to Old Towne, Noah? How are you feeling?”

“I think I’m okay. My head doesn’t hurt as much anymore. I really don’t think it’s a concussion or anything.” He reached his hand up, touching the bandages lightly, wincing a little. “Luke…you don’t have to come with me. You have your family here. They’ll worry about you. I can go by myself. You don’t have to get wrapped up in this.”

The look on Luke’s face immediately told Noah what his response would be.

“Noah. Of course I am going with you.” He moved forward and rested his hand on Noah’s arm. “Faith?” Luke questioned. He didn’t have to finish his question. He knew that she would know what he meant. He meant ‘will you keep quiet?’, ‘will you help us?’

“I’ll pack up Noah a bag of bandages and Neosporin, and stuff. You guys pack up some clothes.”

An hour later, Luke and Noah were all packed. Luke packed a few extra clothes and snacks for Noah, and enough clothes for a few days for himself. He brought along a notebook and a few books to read for the trip.

The walk into town felt very long, though it really only took about half an hour. Faith walked with them, carrying Noah’s backpack for him. Noah felt very tired. All he wanted to do was sleep. That is one thing the long trip would be good for. He didn’t feel nervous. He felt like he should be, but he wasn’t. His heart felt light to just be able to get away from everything for a while. With Luke. Tonight he would be sharing a room with Luke. You never know how a day will go. He certainly had not expected this when he woke up this morning.

They finally reached the bus station at 4:00 PM. Noah waited on a nearby bench as Faith and Luke purchased the tickets. It was kind of scary sometimes to think that his whole life was in the backpack that sat next to him. He had never really been that concerned with stuff anyway. He could rebuild. He hadn’t taken much time yet to sit and think about what actually happened. His dad knew. Noah couldn’t deny it himself anymore. He was gay. He loved Luke. Maybe it was too early to say love. Maybe it was ridiculous, but that’s how Noah felt. He watched Luke at the ticket counter. His mouth was pressed into a determined line. Noah loved how Luke wanted to protect him. He loved him for wanting to go to Chicago with him.

The bus arrived and they loaded their bags. Luke watched as Noah climbed the stairs of the bus waving goodbye to Faith, and blowing her a kiss. Luke had always loved his sister, but his heart swelled with love right now. Faith was risking a lot to help them. She had helped him take care of Noah, loaned him money, and would now be lying to his parents when they asked where he was.

“How long will you be gone?” she asked quietly. He reached over and took her hand, wanting to comfort her. He hated seeing her upset. They had been close their whole lives. They rarely spent time apart.

“Just a few days. Just for long enough for us to figure out what Noah’s going to do. Thank you so much, Faith. For everything. Just tell Mom and Dad that I’m safe. You can tell them I went camping with Kevin or something. I’ll call you to check in every once in a while.” He wrapped her up in a big hug. “Love you, Faithy. Thank you.”

“Love you, Indy. Be safe. Call me, okay?” She hugged him close, and kissed his cheek. His heart felt heavy as he left her. He hated making her lie for him, but this was about Noah. This was for Noah’s safety, and Noah’s well-being. He would do anything to protect Noah. Noah deserved that.

The bus ride was long. Noah dozed for a little while. The seats were cramped, but not all together uncomfortable, especially since he had Luke to lean against. Luke would only let him sleep for small increments at a time, fearing a concussion. It was frustrating, but Noah knew that Luke was only doing it for his own good.

The bus stopped at a mini-mart along the way for 20 minutes. They walked through the aisles, browsing for snacks for the rest of their trip and later that evening. Noah wanted very much to reach over and hold Luke’s hand. He watched Luke study the selection of candy. He looked like he was making the most important decision of his life. His brow was furrowed and he reached out, running his fingers over the different kinds of sweets, as if this would help him in making a decision.

Noah laughed softly, and then began to laugh harder. It felt so good to just laugh at something small and silly. Luke turned and looked at him strangely at first, and then cracked a small smile as well.

“What? What are you laughing at, dork?” Luke shoved at him playfully.

“Just…” Noah paused, grinning. “You’re really cute.” With that, Noah took in a deep breath, and leaned in to press a quick kiss to Luke’s lips. Both boys smiled and blushed. Noah laughed just a little. He couldn’t hold it in. He was just so happy. He couldn’t remember being this happy in a long time.

The rest of the trip went by fairly quickly. It was dark when they pulled into the bus station in Chicago. They got their bags and began to walk. The plan was to stop at the first decent, but affordable motel that they could find. They walked for several minutes. It was cold and windy. As they walked, Luke took Noah’s hand. Noah smiled, and looked at their joined hands for a moment. Was this all a dream?

They eventually found a hole-in-the-wall motel. They checked in quickly and made their way to their small room. It held only a double bed, an ugly chair, and a small TV.

“Not exactly five star, hm?” Luke joked, as he and Noah flopped down on the bed. He tried to pretend that he wasn’t thinking about sharing this same bed with Noah tonight.

Noah was tired, and curled up, drifting off almost immediately. He did manage to mumble to Luke that his arm was starting to hurt him a lot. Luke gave him some Ibuprofen, and went to the bathroom to wash up himself. He washed his face and brushed his teeth quickly. He felt gross after being on that bus for so long. He changed into a pair of shorts and went back into the bedroom. Noah was passed out asleep on the bed. Luke just stared at him for a short time. He was so kind. Sweet, soft-spoken Noah did not deserve anything that had happened to him. He looked beautiful while he slept. Luke carefully pulled off Noah’s shoes, leaving him in his jeans and sweatshirt. He climbed in next to him gingerly, and placed a gentle hand on Noah’s hip. He wanted to wrap him up in his arms, but he didn’t know if they were there yet, or where all Noah hurt.

The night was long for Luke. He set his alarm to wake Noah up every few hours to check and make sure he was doing okay. Noah was groggy the third time Luke woke him, but seemed aware enough that Luke was confident he was okay. Luke got up and got Noah some Advil and a glass of water. He rubbed Noah’s back gently as he took the medicine.

“My arm really hurts,” he spoke in a soft, drowsy voice. “We’ll have to put more Neosporin on it in the morning I think” He was already drifting back to sleep as he settled into the bed. Luke smiled at him and lay back down as well.

“Of course, Noah. I’ll take care of you.” The words spilled off of Luke’s lips without him realizing, and his cheeks suddenly burned pink. Noah just mumbled something that sounded like ‘I know you will’, and snuggled in close, pulling Luke’s arm around him. Luke felt his heart expand with warmth as he drifted off to sleep with Noah.

***

  
They slept in until late the next day, but Luke was still exhausted. His checks on Noah had been going okay. The bruise on Noah’s head was getting darker, and his eye had turned red where the white part was supposed to be. Luke was concerned. He knew Noah wanted to stay away from ‘the system’, but he really felt Noah needed to see a doctor. He remembered that his cousin, Lucy, had moved to Chicago about a year back. Lucy was a nurse. He thought for a moment, and sent her a quick text to ask her for a favor.

Noah woke up slowly, scrunching his eyes shut against the light that was beginning to pour through the ugly, white hotel drapes. His vision was blurry. He blinked hard a few times, and it didn’t return to normal. His heart began to race, but he didn’t show any physical signs of distress. He didn’t want Luke to know. Luke. God. He had to be so tired. He had been taking care of Noah all night. Noah couldn’t believe that Luke had taken care of him so well. He really cared. He turned and looked at Luke, who was propped up in the bed texting. Even blurry he looked beautiful.

Noah reached out a hand, resting it on Luke’s leg, startling him. Luke smiled at him gently and leaned in to press a gentle kiss to his sore forehead. “Good morning, handsome. Get up and get dressed, we’re going on a field trip.”

After a free breakfast in the lobby of muffins, fruit, and juice, Luke hailed a cab, and read an address off from his cell phone. He wouldn’t tell Noah where they were going. He was afraid he wouldn’t come. Poor Noah’s bruises looked painful. He sat quietly with his head on Luke’s shoulder. Lucy had invited he and Noah to her place, and said she would take a look at Noah’s head and arm. Luke felt his anxiety diminish slightly knowing that someone else would be involved in the situation. Lucy would tell him Noah was okay. She would help him figure out what to do. In a few days he would be back at home, and Noah would be safe with him.

Lucy’s apartment building was nice. The cab dropped them off out front and Luke rang the buzzer so she would let him in.

“Where are we going, Luke?” Noah finally asked. “Who do you know that lives here?

Luke took his hand and lead him to the elevator when the doors opened. “This is my cousin Lucy’s place. She’s a nurse. She said she’d take a look at you.” Luke almost winced, afraid that Noah would be mad at him. The response was better than he hoped. Noah scrunched up his nose for a moment, and then just sighed.

“I suppose it can’t hurt to have someone take a look. I just don’t want to go to the hospital.”

To be honest, Noah was starting to get really worried. His vision was still blurry. He had hoped it would clear up when he woke up a little, but it still appeared the same. The idea of seeing a nurse made him feel a little better. He was glad it would be at her apartment, and not in a hospital or clinic. He hated those places. If she was related to Luke, she was sure to be smart, and full of smiles.

Noah was right. A beautiful girl with dark hair, and sparkling eyes answered the door.

“Luke! Hi!” She greeted her cousin with a big hug, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Is this the friend you told me about?” She looked behind Luke at Noah, and leaned in to hug him as well. She was warm. She reminded Noah of Luke’s mother.

“Lucy, yeah, this is my boyfriend, Noah.” A slight blush crossed Luke’s face when he said it, and he turned to Noah as if to say ‘is this okay?’ It was more than okay. It felt amazing. They shared a loving look, before continuing on into Lucy’s apartment.

It was a modern looking space. Everything was new, and bright. Lucy lived there with her boyfriend, Ian. Ian was a lawyer, and made a good amount of money. Lucy probably wouldn’t even have to work if she didn’t want to, but she had a passion for her career, and her patients. She led them to the kitchen, and motioned for Noah to have a seat on a barstool pulled up by the counter.

“Oh man, that is quite a bump you’ve got there, Noah.” She pushed his hair back from his forehead gingerly. “Tell me if I hurt you, okay?” Noah nodded. “Luke? Can you leave us alone for a few minutes, please? I want to ask Noah some questions.” She said it more as a direction than a question, and after a wary look towards Noah, Luke went into the next room.

“Noah,” Lucy spoke to him softly, “are you having any trouble with your vision?” Noah took a deep breath, and decided to be honest with her. He was afraid now. If there’s one thing he was scared to lose, it was his ability to see.

“It’s blurry,” Noah admitted.

“I thought it might be. I could see you straining to see. Don’t worry, hon, we’re going to fix you up.”

She did several tests. Noah thought he did fairly well on all of them. He remembered 4 words in order. He knew the date and his name. His vision, though. That was all wrong. She looked at his arm. The cuts seemed to be healing, but it was very tender. A few minutes later, she called Luke back into the room.

“Noah needs to go to the hospital. I’m worried about his vision trouble. There could be bleeding, and most certainly a concussion.”

“Vision trouble?” Luke was confused. Noah hadn’t mentioned anything. He turned to Noah in question.

“Everything’s blurry, Luke.” Noah spoke softly. “It’s freaking me out.” A pained look crossed Luke’s face, and he moved in closer to Noah. It felt almost involuntary when he reached out to touch Noah’s face.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Noah shrugged, and just leaned into Luke, wrapping his arms around his middle. He breathed in deeply and rested his head against Luke’s chest. He felt safe now.

Lucy smiled at them. Everyone was quiet for a moment, just letting Noah relax. Lucy pulled Luke aside for a moment, and they spoke in hushed tones, before Luke returned to Noah.

“Noah, we’re going to stay here with Lucy, is that okay with you?” He rubbed Noah’s back softly, leaning down to press a kiss to his hair.

Noah nodded. This was far nicer than that nasty hotel room. “Lucy’s going to go get our things, so you can stay here and relax. We can watch a movie maybe?”

This sounded like the best idea Noah could possibly think of. Movies had always been his favorite place, his safe place. A movie felt like the best idea possible right now.

Noah curled up on the couch as Luke searched through the movie selection. Lucy had left a few minutes earlier to pick up their things.

 _"Peter Pan_?"

“Not in the mood for cartoons, really.”

 _“Donnie Darko_?

“Too creepy.”

“ _Hard Cand_ y?”

“Too freaky.” Noah laughed. He had to be in the right mood for a movie to watch it.

“ _The Outsiders_?”

“That sounds good. I like that one. Stay gold, Ponyboy.” Noah smiled as Luke put the familiar movie into the DVD player.

Luke sat next to Noah on the couch, and Noah immediately moved to snuggle in against him. It felt so good to be in this quiet place with Luke. He didn’t have to be afraid. He could be with Luke. He would stay in this quiet place forever if he was allowed.

“Luke?” Noah spoke quietly, not lifting his head from Luke’s chest.

“Yeah?” Luke returned in an easy, gentle tone.

“Are you afraid?” He sounded like a child. It made Luke slightly sad, but he was glad Noah was finally opening up.

“Of what?”

“My Dad. Of what to do when we get back. Of if you’re going to get in trouble from your parents.”

“Not scared, really. Just…uncertain maybe? You don’t have to be afraid of your dad, Noah. Not while you’re with me. I’ll keep you safe.” He kissed Noah’s forehead gently. “I’ll keep you safe. We’ll figure out what we’re going to do. I’ll figure it out. Just relax, okay?”

Luke was so tired. He felt himself drifting as Ponyboy and Johnny ran into the fiery church. He ran his fingers slowly in Noah’s hair. Somewhere along the way he fell into dreams.

***

When he woke up, he felt a kiss being pressed to his temple. “Noah,” he mumbled. He couldn’t believe he had fallen asleep. He was supposed to take care of Noah. He could tell by how groggy he felt that he must have been sleeping for hours.

“Luke? Sweetie?” Luke jerked awake. This was not Noah. This was a voice that didn’t belong here. He was surprised to see his mother slowly come into view as he opened his sleepy eyes. He was also suddenly aware of Noah’s absence next to him. He sat up and rubbed at his eyes, turning to his mom. Was this a dream?

“Mom? What are you doing here? Where’s Noah? Is he okay? Where is he?” Luke stood quickly, and began walking, though he didn’t quite know where,

“Luke, sweetie. Come here, honey. Noah is fine. Lucy and your dad took him to the hospital. Lucy was worried about his head injury. Sweetie, why didn’t you tell us?” She walked over to him, and wrapped him in a warm hug. He suddenly felt hot tears streaming down his cheeks. He had no idea where they came from. He didn’t know he had been holding them in, but it felt so good to let them out.

“We were scared, Mom. Noah was so scared. He didn’t deserve that. He didn’t deserve what happened to him. Please don’t make him go back to his dad. Please.”

“Luke. Oh, my sweet Luke. You’re such a good friend to Noah, sweetheart.” She stroked his hair softly, and kissed his forehead. “Noah is never going back to his father. Don’t worry about that. We’re going to take care of him. C’mon, sweetheart, let’s go see Noah.”

Noah hated hospitals. Now, he was in a hospital in Chicago, hooked to a bunch of machines. Luke’s father, Holden, had stayed with Noah the whole time. Noah found him to be a gentle, quiet man. They got along quite well. Neither one of them had to say much. It was enough for Noah to just have someone there. Luke was so lucky to have such a kind father. Noah could see how Luke had become the man that he had.

Luke. He wanted more than anything for Luke to be there with him. When Luke’s parents had returned with Lucy to the apartment, Noah had been quite confused. They explained that Lucy had called them, and that they had taken Luke’s grandmother’s jet there right away. Luke’s mother had immediately wrapped Noah in a loving hug. Noah had to stop himself from crying. It felt good to have adults there. To know they would take care of things. He just hoped they wouldn’t try to send him back to his father. All he wanted right now was to be with Luke. With Luke he felt safe.

***

  
A week later, Luke sat by Noah’s bedside at Snyder farm. Noah had moved in to Aaron’s old room. He was still healing, but feeling ten times better. After a short stay at the hospital to monitor his concussion, and vision, Noah had been released with a clean bill of health. He was still sore, and bore cuts and bruises as evidence of his trauma, but his heart was beginning to heal. His father had been arrested shortly after Noah was taken by the hospital in Chicago. Holden and Lily had welcomed him into their home as one of their own.

Noah curled up against Luke as they watched a movie on Luke’s television. They had been doing a lot of that during Noah’s recovery. Today, it was Luke’s turn to pick the film. “I want to watch ‘ _As You Like It_ ’ again.” He grinned as he put the disc into the player. Noah rolled his eyes, and tossed a pillow Luke’s way. “Hey!” Luke protested. “We can’t forget Shakespeare, Noah! He brought you to me after all.”

“I don’t think Shakespeare ever wrote a story like ours.” Noah laughed softly, as the movie started and Luke snuggled against him.

“That’s okay,” Luke replied. “We’re writing our own.”


End file.
